Distribution, Defense, and Deposit of the Dissertation

All of the steps below can take place at any time during the year. However, if you are aiming to receive your degree at a specific degree conferral (October, February, or May), you must follow a set of deadlines for that conferral. Please note also that these steps are intended to be a general guideline for the distribution, defense, and deposit, but it is your responsibility to review the more detailed policies, such as those on copyrighted material and "fair use", found in the Dissertation Office page.

Note for Teachers College PhD students: Only steps 6 through 10 below apply to TC PhD students. Please contact the TC Office of Doctoral Studies for more information about the procedures leading up to the dissertation defense.

Get in touch with your department or program's office. Your program's graduate coordinator or DAAF should be your first stop when preparing to distribute and defend. They are knowledgeable about GSAS policies, and can advise you on any program requirements that go beyond GSAS rules.

Discuss with your sponsor (advisor) to determine your five-person examining committee. Guidelines for the nomination and appointment of the defense committee are available here. Any questions about committee composition should be directed either to your chair, DGS, DAAF, or to the Dissertation Office. Please note that GSAS policy states that students should not be put in the position of approaching faculty members about serving on their committee. This is the responsibility of the sponsor and/or department.

Only departmental or program administrators may submit the five names of your proposed committee to GSAS for approval. The Application for Dissertation Defense form is signed by your department or program's chair or director of graduate studies, and is submitted by your program's office to the GSAS Dissertation Office. The form is available online here.

Your department or program schedules the defense.

Distribute final copies of your dissertation to your five examiners after your committee is approved. You must be registered for the semester in which your distribution takes place. This is your final semester of registration, even if your defense and deposit take place in a subsequent semester. Click here for more detailed information about final registration requirements. International students with questions about their registration and remaining in visa compliance should contact the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO).

Defend your dissertation. Please remember that during the actual examination, there should be no one present other than the five examiners and the doctoral candidate.

Complete any required revisions. Students who receive a vote of "approved pending revisions" are given a maximum of six months to complete these revisions and deposit their dissertation. For more detailed information, please consult this page.

Obtain approval to deposit your dissertation. This is done using the Approval Card, given to you upon passing your defense. After your revisions are approved, the card must be signed by your sponsor, as well as your department chair or program director. These signatures allow you to deposit your dissertation.

Deposit your dissertation with GSAS. This is the final step to earning the PhD or DMA degree. Complete information regarding the deposit is available through the Deposit Gateway. You should also review the FAQs about the electronic deposit system.

Register to Participate in Graduation Ceremonies. The PhD Convocation and University Commencement ceremonies, held in May, recognize graduates from the October, February, and May degree conferrals. We look forward to celebrating your accomplishment with you, but please note that you are not required to attend the graduation ceremonies to receive your degree. You may register to participate using our online form.